496 
PLTirr^S NATUEAL HISTOET. 
[Book X. 
mass, manifesting gi-eat delight in having them admired by 
the spectator. The peacock loses its tail every year at the fall 
of the leaf, and a new one shoots forth in its place at the 
flower season ; between these periods the bird is abashed and 
moping, and seeks retired spots. The peacock lives twenty- 
five years, and begins to show its colours in the third. By 
some authors it is stated that this bird is not only a vain crea- 
ture, but of a spiteful disposition also, just in the same way 
that they attribute bashfulness to the goose. '''^ The character- 
istics, however, which they have thus ascribed to these birds, 
appear to me to be utterly unfounded. 
CHAP. 23. WHO WAS THE FIRST TO KILL THE PEACOCK FOR 
FOOD. WHO FIRST TAUGHT THE ART OF CRAMMING THEM. 
The orator Hortensius was the first Eoman who had the 
peacock killed for table ; it was on the occasion of the banquet 
given by him on his inauguration in the college of the priest- 
hood. M. Aufidius Lurco^^ was the first who taught the art 
of fattening them, about the time of the last war with the 
Pirates. From this source of profit he acquired an income of 
sixty thousand sesterces.'^* 
CHAP. 24. (21.) — THE DUNGHILL COCK. 
^ext after the peacock, the animal that acts as our watch- 
man by night, and which JSTature has produced for the purpose 
of arousing mortals to their labours, and dispelling their slum- 
bers, shows itself most actuated by feelings of vanity. The 
cock knows how to distinguish the stars, and marks the 
different periods of the day, every three hours, by his note. 
These animals go to roost with the setting of the sun, and at 
the fourth watch of the camp recall man to his cares and toils. 
They do not allow the rising of the sun to creep upon us un- 
awares, but by their note proclaim the coming day, and they 
prelude their crowing by clapping their sides with their wings. 
They exercise a rigorous sway over the other birds of their 
"2 It would be curious to know how the goose manifests its modesty, 
or verecundia." We are equally at a loss with Pliny to discover it. 
'3 Tribune of the people, b.c. 61. He was maternal grandfather of the 
Empress Li via. " Lurco " means a glutton. 
7^ About 12,270 francs, Ajasson says. 
